Safety device for firearms



Dec. 5, 1939. w, Q R 2,182,693

SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIREARMS Filed June'3b, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fla a Inbenior Wa'ZZz'am/Ybarzmz,

Dec. 5, 1939. w. M. HARTON SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIREARMS Filed June 30, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 0 m Hv M h m,

A ttorneys Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENT OFF-ICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to firearms and more particularly to a safety device therefor.

In accordance with the present invention means is provided for positively locking the trigger and hammer of a firearm in such a manner as to preclude accidental discharge thereof.

In accordance with the invention efficient means is provided for locking both the trigger and the hammer in such a manner that force must be applied simultaneously at two difierent points before the trigger and hammer are released as would permit firing of the firearm.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety device of this character which in general will be an improvement over similar or known safety devices of the same general character.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood, from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is an enlarged side elevational View of the grip portion of a firearm having my invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the gripportion of the firearm illustrating the invention together with the details thereof.

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines 3-4 and 4-4 respectively of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the hammer locking element.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of a bell crank hereinafter more fully referred to.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that the invention may be applied to a conventional type of firearm, as for example, a small firearm which embodies, among other parts, a barrel 8, hand-grip 9, trigger pin l0, trigger ll, trigger guard l2, and hammer l3. 4 In accordance with the present invention the safety device is applicable to any type firearm, with a moving part, commonly called a hammer or striker and illustrated herein is a hammer l3, pivoted in the usual manner. At the pivoted 45 end thereof the hammer is provided with the usual stop shoulder I4 with which is normally engaged the spring-biased locking pin l5 pivoted as at I6. A sear pin I! works on a guide I8 and is yieldably held in engagement with the guide through the medium of a suitable spring l9. At one end thereof the sear pin I! has a lost motion, or pin and slot connection 20 with the locking pin I5 that is normally urged into engagement with the shoulder 14 of the hammer I3 through the medium of a spring 2|. At the opposite end thereof the sear pin I1 is provided with a shoulder 22 with which is engaged normally a lug 23 on the trigger ll that is pivoted as at 24 in the usual manner. The trigger II is normally biased in one direction through the medium of a spring 25 which has a free end bearing against a lug 26 formed integral with the pivoted end of the trigger as shown in Figure 2. t wil thus be seen that by pulling on the trigger II in the usual manner said trigger 0 will be caused to rotate against the action of spring 25 and by reason of the engaging parts 23, 22 of the trigger and sear pin I! the latter will be caused to move in a direction resulting in a movement of the locking pin l5 out of en- 1'3 gagement with the hammer I3 so that the latter under influence of a spring or other suitable device will swing into forcible contact with the firing pin Ill.

The trigger H is normally locked in safety in position through the medium of a locking bolt 21 that works between guides 2828 and is suitably provided at one end as at 29 to engage an angular lug 30 provided on the trigger I i whereby to prevent the trigger casually swinging in a direction to release the hammer; The locking element 27 is normally urged into a locking position with respect to the hammer through the medium of a spring 3|. For retracting the looking element 21 there is provided a slide 32 31 that works between guides 33 and at one end is complementarily formed to an adjacent end of the locking element 2'! for engagement therewith to transmit movement of the slide 32'to the locking element 21, and movement of the locking element 21 to the slide 32.

Pivoted within the firearm as at 34 is a bell crank, one arm ofwhich, 35, is connected with the slide 32 through the medium of a link '36 and the other arm, 31, of which is provided with a ball-like terminal 38 that is engaged in a notch 39 provided in one arm 40 of a hammer locking element 4|.

The hammer locking element 4| is pivoted as at 42 and has an arm 43 thereof provided with a dog 44 that is normally accommodated Within an enlarged notch 45 provided in the enlarged free end of the hammer [3 as shown.

Swinging movement of the hammer lock 4| is limited in one direction through the medium of a stud 45 with which is engageable an extension 46 provided on the upper extremity of the arm 43.

Also for the hammer locking element 43 there is provided a safety catch in the form of an angular bar 4'! that is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 48 and at one end has a lost motion, or pin and slot connection 49 with a slide button 50 slidably mounted as at 5| at the butt end of the firearm and as shown in Figure 2. At the opposite or free end thereof catch lever 41 is arranged in the path of the projection 46 of the hammer locking element 4| so as to limit counterclockwise rotation of the hammer locking element 4|.

To operate the hammer locking element 4| in a manner to swing the same in a direction disengaging, substantially, dog 44 with the notched end 45 of the hammer 43 to permit the hammer to swing into firing position there is provided a pair of pressure-grips 52, 53, that are pivoted at one end as at 54 within the hand-grip 9 of the firearm. Pressure-grips 52, 53 having upperportions working through elongated slots 55 provided therefor in opposite sides of the grip 9 and at said upper end are provided with angular stops 56 that are engageable with side portions of the grip 9 for limiting swinging movement of the grips 52, 53 outwardly through the slots 55.

Grips 52, 53, are limited in their inwardly movement relative to the grip 9 through the medium of suitably provided stops 5?.

Grips 52, 53 are connected with the arm 40 of the hammer locking element 4| through the medium of toggle links 58, 59, and 69, as shown. Secured to the free end of link 50 is a spring 6| that is suitably anchored within the hand-grip 9 and serves to normally urge the link 55 downwardly with respect to the grip 5 and consequently the grips 52, 53, through the openings 55 relative to the grip 9.

From, the above it will be seen that in order to fire or discharge the firearm, pressure is first applied to the grips 52, 53 for moving the latter inwardly with respect to the grip 9. This inward movement of the grips 52, 53 will, in an obvious manner, cause the hammer locking element 4| to swing in a counter-clockwise direction, it being understood that slide button 55] has been moved downwardly from the position shown in Figure 2 so as to raise the free end of the safety lever 47 upwardly out of the path of the extension 46 on arm 43 of the hammer locking element 4|. The hammer locking element 4| being moved in the direction just stated will cause the bell crank 3'! to swing in a clockwise direction and this swinging movement of said bell crank will, through the medium of the link 36 and slide 32, cause the trigger locking element 21, against the action of spring 3| to move out of the path of the projection 30 of trigger Pressure may then be applied to trigger H for swinging the latter against the action of spring 25 thus moving the sear l! in a direction to disengage the locking pin I5 from the projection 4 of hammer l3 whereupon the latter will, in response to a spring or other suitable device, swing from the position shown in Figure 2 into a position forcibly engaging the firing pin II].

From the above it will also be apparent that with the safety lever 4'! in the position shown in Figure 2, inward pressure on the grips 52, 53, will fail in transferring the desired swinging movement to the hammer locking element 4| so that obviously the gun cannot be fired until the safety lever 47 has been moved into a position out of the path of the hammer locking element 4|. It will also be apparent that until the hammer locking element 4| has been moved to a positionreleasing the hammer |3 pressure on the trigger M will fail to result in the release of hammer H5 in a manner as will permit the hammer to swing to firing engagement with the firing pin M.

t will thus be seen that I have provided a substantially fool-proof safety device for firearms.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of an invention of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new'is:

1 In a firearm of the class described, the combination with a hammer and trigger, of a safety device embodying a sliding hooked end trigger locking element and an L-shaped hammer looking element and mechanism operatively connecting said elements for substantially simultaneously operating said elements to free the trigger and hammer, said mechanism including means operatively connecting said locking elements, a pair of oppositely disposed pivoted grip members and spring biased link means connecting said grip members with said L-shaped locking element.

2. In a firearm of the class described, thecombination with a hammer and trigger, of a safety device embodying a sliding hooked end trigger locking element and an L-shaped hammer locking element and mechanism operatively connecting said elements for substantially simultaneously operating said elements to free the trigger and hammer, said mechanism including means operatively connecting said locking elements, a pair of oppositely disposed pivoted grip members and spring biased link means connecting said grip members with said L-shapedlocking element, and additional safety means engageable with the L-shaped hammer locking element for securing the latter against casual displacement.

WILLIAM M. HARTON. 

